THE wild weather that has hit Newcastle in the past 24 hours has forced Hunter Rugby Union to postpone the Premier and Divisional final series matches set down for No.2 Sportsground this weekend.
The major semi-finals were to be played at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday, with the minor semi-finals scheduled for Sunday.
Those games will now be played next weekend. The delay has a flow-on effect with the grand final, which was to be held at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday, September 17, now likely to take place at the same venue on September 24.
The decision was made early Saturday morning after a deluge overnight left large parts of the playing surface under water and unplayable.
"If we played 10 games on the ground this weekend, the field would be destroyed," Hunter Rugby Union president Glenn Turner. "It's inconvenient, but with the weather forecast, we feel it is the best option. We have the ground booked for September 24 as a contingency. We will consult with the clubs early next week and explore all options before locking it in. At this stage the plan is to move the final series back a week."